Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival – N.C. A*T Theatre Review

Very effectively directed, both in its overall vision, and its utilization of the actors as individuals and as an ensemble. The student actors appeared to me to be fully engaged, connected and deeply committed to the vision and purpose put forth by the director and by the writing. The interplay of words, dance/choreography, movement, images, drums — all powerful and effective. The choreography, and its connection to the language and the meaning was fantastic.

During the transitions, the actors were visible, which was great; occasionally the actors could have utilized this time more effectively. A creative and moving production. There were multiple moments and choices which to me conveyed a strong and courageous director’s vision. A very effective and impressive ensemble of actors. They were deeply committed, made powerful and bold vocal and physical choices, and compelling to watch. They successfully filled the vocal and physical size and shape of the production, using the incredible images imbedded in the language and the writing, sometimes could have gone further and gotten more specific in using their vocal ranges to differentiate among and between different images (small point). Cry of birth, screams, powerful! Occasionally could have used more vocal clarity, lost some words in the singing or in the overlapping/choral spoken parts.

The simple proscenium; the overlapping painted flats with images and words such as, I am writing for my life. Passionate. Fierce. Mad at Miles starting in black; the use of recorded voices, shots, the red light; combining live and recorded music; the music stopping and starting in relation to the action; costumes were fabulous simple transformations, use of fabric, color, shape.

The design elements — set, sound, music, light, costumes — were all extremely effective and well-executed, and well matched to both the style and the content of the writing. All of the design elements contributed so well to both the vision and the content of the piece. All of it had this consciously funky, rough-edged quality that was brilliant in relation to the subject and to the style of writing. 

The show was executed very successfully. There were a number of complex elements which really needed to work — recorded voices, sound, onstage costume changes, very specific props and visuals. And they did. I thought it was impressively smooth and seemingly effortless, even as it reflected the energy and humanity of the director’s vision and the actors’ performances — which were very much in the moment and responsive to a very responsive audience.